Pruning Plums

Pruning Plums

This weekend would be a great time to prune your fruit trees. It is getting toward the end of pruning season because soon the new growth will soon cover all the branches and will not allow a clear view of what you need to cut back. Jan and Ray McNeilan gave us some tips to follow as they pruned a neighbor’s dwarf plum tree. The things that they told us to look for included dead, diseased and crossing branches.

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You will also want to open up the middle of your tree to allow airflow across the middle. This will prevent some of the most common diseases that fruit trees experience. You will also want to remove the old ‘mummified’ fruit that may still be on the tree. The old fruit can promote fungus and other diseases and pests. You will also want to look for areas of new growth and prune that to plan for future fruiting branches. If you think you are getting in over your head you can check with your local garden center or the OSU Extension website for more tips and techniques for success.

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